The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1887-04-16

doubt. Now. ifBro Bays does not receive
members into the church of which he has
been "habitually" advertised as pastor in
three papers, into what church does he
receive them? Certainly not into the
M. E. Church, South, for it has been
proven and he has also acknowledged
that he does not use the word "South.'
Furthermore, he is notthe pastor nor the
representative OF that church according
! to the regular advertisement of his ser.
vices. How does this sound? There are
ten pastors in the city, all of whom re-
ceive members in the church under
whose name they advertise their services
except the Rev. w. W. Bays, who is
E"habitually" advertised as the pastor of
one church but invariably receives his
members into another entirety differ
e1t church. The idea isludicfous. Until
Bro Bays can shows the consistency, the
honesty, and the justice of 'habitually"
advertising himself as pastor Of one
church and receiving members into
another, entirely different church, he
must suse me If tertaiR the tion
Al, reEss sssks9e,9 9esi s-eetzsls=eis E;f<t
he, vii all other pasters in Aslie1I4eie.
receives members into the church of
which he is the habitual y advertised
pastor.
The ASSERT, that in order to perfect
the deception the Southern Hymn Book
is hid awayand pulpit and pew furnished
with the Methodist HymnaI." is, in part,
erroneous,I atu willing publicly to admit
as 1 did privately to Bro. Bay before his
article was written. tits not correct that
tn ere are no Hymn Books of the NJ. E
Church South in use, but the Methodist
Ayn1nal is in the ascendancy. But when
l state how came to be in partial error
at this point apprehend that no reason
able and unpreludiced person will accuse
me of Nilful misrepresentation. Shortly
after my return from Japan about eigh-
teen months ago, Bro. Bays asked me to
deliver lecture in his church to fill a
vacancy made by his absence in Vir-
ginia, believe. l was conducted into
the pulpit by the Rev. Jas. Atkins, who
placed Methodist Hymnal in my hands
with the remark "We are using your
church hymn book now," and rightly
anticipating my surprise at seeing my
own church Hmynal used by a denomi
nation which has very superior cole, :
| ton of hymns and tunes, he Immediate
| ly added by way of explanation, ''The
choir preferred it. Hence We have adopt
ed it." Now, l ask any minister OF
the gospel if he would not under similar
circumstances, have come to the same
conclusion that did, viz: that there was
only the one book used in tn t church,
and that the Methodist Hymnal. 1t is
plain to be seen, and no proof, how the
use of the Methodist Hymnal by the
Southern Methodist church, although it
be labeled as the property of the NJ. E
Church South, might strengthen, and in
frequent cases really tperfect the decep-
ton" of haoitually advertising the
services of that church un-
der the name ard title of the
! ,:E,th9dist E.,iscopaJ Auc5, especially,
when there is no word used in the
l-call and reception of members to indicate
that the chulcn is other than it is ''habit-
uallv" advertised to be- Certainty such
mig Il reasonably be the. Gaze when the
| individual should fail TO notice the label"
as did, although using the book t. rough
the ent selYi Turing which | assis-
| ted in singing from it as many {; three
| hymns. Will Bro. Bays tell why he is
willing to sacrifice tie interest of his own
| Publishing House and church in the use
of the Methouist hymnal. One more
statement, to wit: "Scores, no donbt
have been taken by this stratagem" must
be explained. Now 1 positively affirm
/ upon the honor of christian minister
that did not desi this statement to
have strictly local application however
much its connection seems to linit it to
Ashevile had in my mini as tbs pre-
vailing thought when l wrote the sen
tence an article which l had read months
ago in which it was claimed that unusual
efforts were made, and undue advantages
taken to get emigrauts from the North
! haying Methodist affinities to unite with
the NJ. E. Church South. Theireader " i'll
nnticeIthat do not affirm this is the case
but that such is my firm belief. This be-
| lief was based upon what l had read
and the evidence which l have clear
ly shown that a condition of things
existed which made it not only possible
but more than probable that persons
had been thus deceived. If still Other
reasons for this belief be desired 1 will
add that on recent occasion. when III
| AsheviIle, pick ed up paper in which
l read the following special church no.
tice: "At the M. E. Church the pastor
W. w. Bays, will preach. Sacram 4nt of
the Lords Supper, after the morning
sermon. Class meeting at 4 p. m. The
public invited Turning to member
of the NJ. E. Church. South, whI
was formerly member of the NJ
e. Church IN the North, asked: "Can yor
tell me wi en- Bro. Bays united with the
NJ. E. church," The reply was, Why
l suppose he always belonged to thai
church" responded, 81 beg your par
don, if he belongs to that church it is 9
recent thing" "What church then doe
he belong TOT" was the inquiry. ''TC
the NJ. G. Church South" l answered
/ was then asked what difference there
was between the two churches. Nov
here is man who evidently, accordin!
to his own statement, thought that hi
pastor, w. w. Bays, was member o.
the NJ. E. Church, and as members are
supposed to belong to the churchof which
i their pastors aremembers the only legiti
mate conclusion in this case is the one
, came to namely, that this brother though
he belonged to one church when he
actually belonged to anoth1r. And l in
sist that it is no reflection" upon hi
Intelligence" to have fallen into thi
misapprehension, and into the error Q
believing the Rev. w. w. Bays mem
Der of the Methodist Episcopal Churcl
when he has been advertised for NOR
: than year in the Asheville papers fror
I six to eight times week as the paste
I of that church.
l deem it unnecessary to ~prolong thi
5 argument 1fthere are other statement
; they must stand or fall with those col
, sidered.
e One word more. Bro. Bays has graft
! itously accused me of ch arging him wit
ecclesiastical rascality," "ecclesiastics
lying" etc. and of calling him "knave,
J, "wolf," liar" &c. None of these tern
8 are to be found in my article as all VIII
! have read it are aware. / he strongel
: expressions employed in my artic e tbs